Den of the Slave Takers (4e)

Game Master Rev Rosey

D16 for me.

Vondal peers down into the cavern.

Dungeoneering check 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 to identify the fungi and assess if they are a threat. Arcana check 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 on the symbol to see if it represents any danger.

Luce pounds over the bridge and finds she has company. Humans in bloodstained clothing weilding longbows appear on the top of the building, along with a clay scout. The door creaks open and disgorges another clay scout and a small clunky metallic creature. Like the scouts, this construct also seems badly deformed.

Roll initiative please.
Anastria, Aurix and Tiberious may all make a move action to bring them up to speed since a lot of this happened when they were offline.

One of the archers, bolder than the rest, screams out.

"Turn back fools! Torog gives us strength, and you can never defeat our might! We are invincible!"

As Luce pelts away, Vondal inspects the fungi and the image of Torog. The image is just that - designed to provoke fear awe and revulsion, but not otherwise magical.

The fungi look innocent enough, although the dwarf could swear he sees one of the larger specimens blinking.

MAP

Explanation:
Weird pale green blobs are mushrooms.
Grey wood effect thing is the bridge.
Blue dot is where you are.
Bright green thing on the wall of the opposite building is a symbol of Torog.

Initiative 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15.

Initiative 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Reminder: Anyone rolling lower than I do, within 10 sq, gets a +2 to init.

Map clarification questions:
Grey cobbles on the left and bottom is a flat (enough) surface, 30' up?
The building juts out over the edge, and is 20' higher than ledge, thereby blocking S and C1 from me?
Need to ask, since I may have a crazy Varis strategy again.

Varis shakes his head as if he knew there was going to be something waiting for them, "Girl, when I said go ahead, I meant all together and cautiously."

Luce is shocked as the dischevelled humans appear before her, but she growls her low defiance at the vile cultists.

"Sorry, Varis...." Then with a flick of he head she turns her attensions upon the cruel blood soaked enemies. 'At least I can distract the archers.'

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 No +2 for me ;P

@Varis - all quite correct. You can't see S and C1. The dark grey stuff is the original rock of the cavern. It's fairly flat - doesn't count as difficult terrain, but would be a bit slimey so I will ask you to make some kind of check if you intend to run across it.

MAP

Explanation:
Weird pale green blobs are mushrooms.
Grey wood effect thing is the bridge.
Bright green thing on the wall of the opposite building is a symbol of Torog.

Init so far:
Archers - 21
Clay Scouts - 19
Vondal - 17
Varis - 16
Stonefist Defender - 13
Luce - 6

Stowing the items into a sack I wonder how we'll ever sell a 'Gnoll eating sheep' statue? she follows the others out the door. Wrinkling her nose at the smell she sees Luce racing across the bridge and gives chase.

Move to D14
Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12+2 from Varis?

Move to B12
Aurix Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

The Dragonborn snorts as the farmgirl rushes off alone, recklessly across the bridge and he growls in a carrying voice. "Get back here girl! You'll do your brother no good if you die alone!"

Previous healing surge1d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 should be fully healed
Everyone also adds plus 2 init from me as well :), sorry bout late reply

Move to C14
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19+2+2=23 from combat leader from Varis

"Gods blast me for these fool farmers!" Tiberious growls out under his breath as he grits his teeth and runs forward a javelin held to his cheek ready to throw.

The init bonus doesn't stack, but if anyone rolled higher than Varis and is within 10 squares of Tiberious, they can get a +2 that way instead.

Thanks to Luce's impetuous rush over the bridge, all is confusion for a moment. Anastris hastily stuffs the loot into her backpack and heads for the bridge followed closely by Aurix and Tiberious bellowing instructions.

MAP

Explanation:
Weird pale green blobs are mushrooms.
Grey wood effect thing is the bridge.
Bright green thing on the wall of the opposite building is a symbol of Torog.

Tiberious (readied javelin)
Archers
Clay Scouts
Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Stonefist Defender
Aurix
Luce

They don't stack, even if Varis' is a racial bonus and Tiberious' is a class feature? Or were you jsut saying they wont stack for Tiberious because he rolled higher than I did?

I thought they didn't stack because they're both the same type of bonus regardless of origin, but you may be right.

On checking, I think you're right and they do stack. In this case the only person affected is Aurix, who now goes before the Stonefist Defender.

MAP

Explanation:
Weird pale green blobs are mushrooms.
Grey wood effect thing is the bridge.
Bright green thing on the wall of the opposite building is a symbol of Torog.

Tiberious (readied javelin)
Archers
Clay Scouts
Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender
Luce

"Oh bloody hell." Tiberious groans aloud and hefts his javelin ready to throw and then breaks into a run hoping to pull Luce out of the fire before she was burned too badly. When I get ahold of that girl... he growls to himself.

Double Move
M16

The bridge bounces under Tiberious as he pounds across in pursuit of Luce.

Arrows shower towards him supported by the clay scouts which hop about, attempting to daze the pair.

Archers 1 and 2 aim at Luce
Archers 3 and 4 aim at Tiberious
All attacks v AC
1d20+7=13 - A1 v Luce. Miss.
1d20+7=19 - A2 v Luce. Hits. 3 damage.
1d20+7=26 - A3 v Tiberious. Hits. 3 damage.
1d20+7=8 - A4 v Tiberious. Miss.
3 damage each to Luce and Tiberious.

C1 flaps clumsily down and attacks Tiberious
C2 attacks Luce and moves.
Mind Touch (Ref). On hit target is dazed (save ends) and cannot see the scout.
1d20+5=15 - C1 v Tiberious. Hits. 1d6+3=6
1d20+5=20 - C2 v Luce. Hits. 1d6+3=4
6 damage to Tiberious and he is dazed (se) and cannot see C1
4 damage to Luce and she is dazed (se) and cannot see C2

Damage totals this turn:
9 damage to Tiberious
7 damage to Luce

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender
Luce - dazed (se) and cannot see C2
Tiberious (readied javelin) - dazed (se) and cannot see C1
Archers
Clay Scouts

Oh noes dazed again! Luce swears at the clay golems as they befuddle her wits again.

It does seem to be a bit of theme for Luce.

Vondal is up.

Time to release the demon...

Move to I16, cast Summon Dretch in U17 as a minor action. Two free actions to use the Tome of Binding power (+3 damage) and Echo Tome power (an extra move action per round which can only be used to instruct the dretch). Standard action to attack C1 and S.
C1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 v Reflex, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 3) + 6 = 14
S: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 v Reflex, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 4) + 6 = 14

Holding his tome forth, Vondal summons a fiend from the Abyss. To help, of course.

Vondal trundles onto the bridge and summons an unexpected ally. The dretch materialises in front of Luce and claws eagerly at C1 and the Stonefist Defender. Quite unable to react fast enough, both creatures suffer significant wounds.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender
Luce - dazed (se) and cannot see C2
Tiberious (readied javelin) - dazed (se) and cannot see C1
Archers
Clay Scouts
Vondal

Varis eyes the gap between the ledge and the platform, backs up a few steps, then makes a running jump. He lands just barely on the edge of the other side, noting the slightly slippery surface. He then makes his way along the top of the ledge, toward the building, the awkward footing providing no pause to his steps. Vondal's light continuing to illuminate him too much to use the shadows.

Move to D8, then run jump 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 /5 = 2 sq to D3.
Move to K2, Acrobatics to move without penalty 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Varis leaps lightly over the gap and makes easy work of the slimy rocks as he eases his way towards the building by another route.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender
Luce - dazed (se) and cannot see C2
Tiberious (readied javelin) - dazed (se) and cannot see C1
Archers
Clay Scouts
Vondal
Varis

Moving up behind Vondal on the bridge Anastria let's the Fey powers take control again. Inscribing the markings of her curse over the archer on her right (A1) she launches her assault sending a blast of eldritch energy to befuddle the archers senses.

Move: to H16
Minor: place warlocks curse on A1
Standard: Eyebite on A1, Atk Vs Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9, If hit: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Damage + 1d6 ⇒ 5 Damage and Anastria's is invisible to the target until the start of her next turn.

Aurix rushes forwards, axe and shield held in hand and moves in front of his captain to block the archer's line of sight, swearing loudly in Draconic about foolish farmers and Kord's black luck.

Double Move to N16

Anastria's sigil sizzles in the air as the archer flinches back. Unable to avoid the curse, he does manage to duck aside from the attack that follows.

Aurix's bulk makes the bridge wobble horribly, but it still holds as the dragonborn moves to protect his captain.

Up at the building, the Stone Defender proves to be much faster than anyone would think from it's clunky appearance. Ignoring the dretch, it shifts rapidly and pummels at the semi-helpless shifter.

Can shift 3 and does so.
Attacks Luce.
Spiked Fist (AC)
1d20+9=27 (inc. CA bonus for the daze)
1d8+5=6
6 damage to Luce.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Luce - dazed (se) and cannot see C2
Tiberious (readied javelin) - dazed (se) and cannot see C1
Archer 1 - cursed by Anastria
Archer 2
Archer 3
Archer 4
Clay Scout 1
Clay Scout 2
Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender

Bloodied 13/26 AC=16; Ref=15 Speed=9!

As Luce is pummeled from all sides, blood running down her face; her adrenaline spikes and her heritage is revealed more. Her reactions improve as her fingers extend into claws and her teeth elongate.

The soft fur that gently covers her body thickens and she appears more bestial, trying to throw off the daze she shakes like a dog.

Luces sharp eyes spot the spores floating in the air; she calls upon the cold moors wind to turn these into a flurry of sharp thorns intended to irritate, impale and get under the skin.

Thorn Spray - giving up whatever OA's. Close Blast 5 :S17-S22 & O17-O22
Vs Fort S 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Vs Fort C2 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 - ? as I cannot see
Vs Fort A2 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage on a hit 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 & -3 defenses TEOMNT

Save Vs Daze1d20 ⇒ 7

Did I take any OA's; regardless I will use AP!
The chill wind that distributes the Thorns creates a freezing wind that tries to blow the archer A2 off the top of the tower.

Chill Wind Vs Fort of A2- 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 (with -3 defenses?)
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 3 Slide to O20 Mwahahaha

Luce still cannot shake off the cloudy haze in her mind. 'I shouldn't have had that cider last night.' As she stares dumb-fouded at the dretch in front of her. "Whose thee then?"

You only take an AoO for casting (or any other attack, as it happens, like using a bow) if you use one that has the "Ranged" keyword. Close blasts like Thorn Spray don't generate AoOs as they are not ranged. CHill Wind is ranged, so you will take AoOs for it. By the way, did you hit my dretch?

No, I aimed at the other direction. That's what I thought, regarding OA's, but the opportunity to throw an archer off the tower was just too good. :)

EDIT: Thanks for the Dretch, to stop flanks. Luce also has the problem that she has no weapon - do to money & wildshape constraints. Thus her OA's are a bit rubbish, of course if she can shake off the daze & actually get to beastform then she can use a slide with her basic attack! Hopefully she can throw more people off this cliff!

Luce - keep the AP unless you want to make a different attack. Your thorn burst killed A2. As Aubrey (Vondal) says, no OAs for close bursts or blasts.

Luce's instincts flare as she bloodies the Stone Defender and pulverises A2 with deadly thorns.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Tiberious (readied javelin) - dazed (se) and cannot see C1
Archer 1 - cursed by Anastria
Archer 3
Archer 4
Clay Scout 1
Clay Scout 2
Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender - BLOODIED; -3 all defences to end Luce's next turn
Luce - BLOODIED (AC16, R15, Sp 9); dazed (se) and cannot see C2

I'll keep the AP, as I don't really fancy eating all the OA's. :)

The farm lass grims ferally as the Archer falls and the defender nearby is bloodied.

The walls (where the archers are) are 10 squares, from bridge level. Do they have cover?

No cover.

Hold on a second, both of those spells are standard actions, I'm confused, I thought you could only take 1 standard action per turn without spending an action point?? If Luce is keeping her Action point and not spending it, wouldn't she only get to cast one of those two spells?

She only used one standard action. The spell she cast targeted more than one creature as it is a burst attack.

Yes, that's all she did. Did the Thorn burst which killed A2. The second Action would have given too many AoO's and was going to target A2.

EDIT: Ninja'd

With an entirely different spell? O.o i'm afraid I don't understand Druids very well at all, they can cast one spell (Thorns) and then as a "burst" of the first spell, cast another spell (chill wind)?? ok ok so u cast Thorns, hurt defender, killed archer. But what is then with the chill winds spell? You were planning on casting that too or only ith the action point?? sorry i've had a long day and i got on to check posts and got super confused.

Basically by spending an AP - anyone can use 2 standard actions in a round. The first Luce used 'Thorn Spray' this is an area effect. She then cast 'Chill Wind' as the second. Unfortunately I described it as a chain off the first - this was all fluff. She could have cast any other spell, or done any other action. Sorry.

Ack. No. Not like that at all. My fault, I said burst instead of blast, which may have caused the confusion.

Luce's Thorns is a blast spell - she picks a point adjacent to her and it affects all creatures in the chosen area. She rolls an attack against each creature in the area (friend and foe alike) and then makes one damage roll to apply to all the creatures she hits. Blast spells do not provoke OAs, so she took none.

In this case, she wasn't aware that her first attack (Thorns) had killed one of her targets, so she pre-emptively used her AP to make a further attack (using a different spell, Chill Wind) against the target she'd already killed. Had she needed to use the AP to make that attack, she would have taken OAs from the surrounding foes, as that was a spell with the "ranged" keyword.

As she did kill her intended second spell target (with AP useage), she did not need to use the AP at all and elected not to on this occasion.

In any circumstances where a player wants to use an AP like that, I'd always say if the intended target had already died and offer the option to take back the move. That's only fair as at a live table, you'd see at once that you didn't need to use it.

By the way, always feel free to ask about stuff. I'm very, very happy to try and answer.

And, in case it gets lost in the conversation, Tiberious is up :)

Oooooh...ok. that makes sense, I certainly wouldn't want to cut off someone's head then spend a precious AP to continue hacking the body up. thanks DM

No problem :)

Save1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 haha sweet silly dm cant daze humans ;)

I realised that with a small shield I can hold a weapon in it just cant use the weapon thus I want to make sure everyone knows he was holding his spear when we started this lol

Minor Action Inspiring Word
1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Move to S 16

Standard throw at A1

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 vs AC
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 if hit

Hold on there Tiberious!

You can only make the save v daze at the END of your turn, so you only get the one action (move, minor or standard - your choice which). Remember you already used your AP in the last combat and haven't got another yet.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Tiberious - dazed (se) and cannot see C1 - To confirm which of his actions he is taking
Archer 1 - cursed by Anastria
Archer 3
Archer 4
Clay Scout 1
Clay Scout 2
Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender - BLOODIED; -3 all defences to end Luce's next turn
Luce - BLOODIED (AC16, R15, Sp 9); dazed (se) and cannot see C2

Tiberious?

Ahh Sorry DM, he left for St. Louis this morning. He should be on later on, I would safely assume he would rather just use his Inspiring word ability and say he Inspired himself to save against the daze after that then move on. :( sorry

Ah, that's great :) Thanks Aurix. I just wanted to be sure as the Archers are up next.

Tiberious bolsters himself and triumphantly clears his head.

Recognising the impending danger of Varis, A1 and A4 attempt to shoot him down, while A3 and the clay scouts concentrate on felling the shifter girl. Shaken by the rapid fall of their comrade, none of the archer's arrows come anywhere near hitting. Nor do the scouts fare any better, their feeble jaws quite unable to find purchase on Luce.

Archers (AC)
1d20+8=11 - A1 v Varis. Miss.
1d20+8=10 - A4 v Varis. Miss.
1d20+8=10 - A3 v Luce. Miss.
Clay Scouts (AC)
1d20+5=8 - C1 v Luce. Miss.
1d20+5=6 - C2 v Luce. Miss.
Holy moly. I managed to roll a grand total of 11 on my attacks that round. Some sort of record I think.

MAP

Dazed:
- can only take one of a move, minor or standard action
- grants combat advantage
- may not take immediate actions

Vondal
Varis
Anastria
Aurix
Stonefist Defender - BLOODIED; -3 all defences to end Luce's next turn
Luce - BLOODIED (AC16, R15, Sp 9); dazed (se) and cannot see C2
Tiberious
Archer 1 - cursed by Anastria
Archer 3
Archer 4
Clay Scout 1
Clay Scout 2

Dodging instinctively under and around the Constructs claws and teeth, Luce grins ferally at her luck. 'They will pay, I will find my brother.'

Wow, lucky Luce....for now.

Vodal moves to L16, the dretch will have a go at C1 and C2:
C1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 v Ref, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 1) + 6 = 11
C2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 v Ref, damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 4) + 6 = 16

Vondal waddles up the bridge while commanding his pet demon to continue the attack.

Rosey, not sure what the DC for the slippery rocks are or if I should roll for each movement/turn, but here's my Acro roll JIC 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11.

Varis easily avoids the clumsy shots of the bad archers, then steps forward to get a good angle on his target, before pulling and loosing an arrow. The rocks appear a bit more treacherous at this point, and his shot goes wide, as his footing isn't quite stable. He continues to make his way toward the side of the building, and the cover of the shadows nearby, minding his footsteps more cautiously than he did at first.

Standard, Deft Strike, before attack move 2 sq to L2 (or K2 if footing causes 1/2 move), attack A1 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 vs AC.
Move to S5 (with footing), or N2 (only if at 1/2 speed).
IF.. he makes it to S5, he is out of the direct line of light, and will attempt to Stealth 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16.